Tale of the Witch
by MyOneHeartx3
Summary: Damon is ready to give up on breaking the Sun&Moon curse. That is until he meets a sarcastic, dark-haired witch known as Alex who will forever change his life. "Will you do it?"  "That depends...What's in it for me?" Alex/Damon. #1 in Eternal Love Trilogy
1. What is Love?

_Mystic Falls, Virginia_

Damon paces throughout his living room. Stefan and Elena are there as well. They're trying to come up with a new plan. Meaning, they need a new witch. Why you ask? Well, because Bonnie refuses to do it, and she not powerful enough. They need a stronger witch.

"Bonnie's moving." Elena says out of nowhere.

Stefan stops in his tracks. "What do you mean she's moving?"

Elena shrugged. "She told me she can't take everything that's going on in this town; that's going on with us. She's moving to New York."

"But we need her!" Stefan implies.

"Not necessarily," Damon mutters.

They both give him a look. "What are you talking about, man?" Stefan asks.

Damon looks at Stefan like he's an idiot. "We'll just find a new witch."

"There aren't any more witches in Mystic Falls. I don't even think there are any in Virginia in general!" Elena says logically.

Damon glares at her. "We'll find her. I know it."

Stefan looks over to Elena when Damon walks out of the room.

She sighs. "He's losing it, Stefan. I'm really worried about him."

Stefan shrugs. "I know, me too."

"Then what should we do?"

"I don't know. Maybe leave the curse the way it is. You and I both know very well that it won't be easy to find another witch." He says.

"I wish there were something I could do to help," Elena says.

Stefan places his hand on her knee, feeling sparks in his palm that travel up his arm and move around his body. Boy, did he love Elena so much. "You can stay alive." He says simply. He caresses Elena' cheek and puts her hair behind her ear. "All I care about is your safety."

Elena touches Stefan's cheek in return. "I'll try. Even though I seem to be a target for vampires."

"But you have me and Damon here to protect you."

She smiles. "I love you, Stefan."

"I love you too, Elena."

He leans in and they kiss, feeling like the only two people in the whole wide world.

From the hall, Damon can hear Stefan and Elena talking. He cringes when they say 'I love you' to each other. Love. Such a stupid work, Damon thinks. Love is just another emotion, that's all.

But even Damon knows that's a total lie. Love can change a person; make him act like a total idiot for that one girl. Damon knows what that feels like because he feels it for Elena. He feels it for that girl in the other room who is currently kissing his little brother. Love sucks.

Love. Does Damon actually know the meaning of it? He doesn't know. He thought he loved Katherine, but that was untrue. Then he met Elena, and it was so much different than Katherine.

But vampires don't love. Damon Salvatore does not love... No. He refuses to get caught up in a girl. He's a vampire. Vampires don't have emotions or consciences. No. No. No. No.

After he can't take the sound of Elena and Stefan kissing, he grabs his keys and leather jacket, and heads out the door to the Mystic Grill. He really needs to clear his head... Think.


	2. Summerlong Punishment

_Waverly Place, New York_

"ALEX! WHAT DID YOU DO?" Theresa yells at her only daughter. Alex bounces on her toes, looking as innocent as possible.

"Why do you always assume I'm the one who did this?" She asks.

Justin is covered in blue dye (again) and Max is covered in a pile of trash. But Alex is perfectly clean.

"Hmm, let me think. Oh, right! It's because you're always the one who messes everything up!" Theresa is furious. Her face is red.

Alex crosses her arms. "How can you say that? I'm your only daughter!"

"Because it's true!"

Alex rolls her eyes. "Fine. I'll just clean it all up." She reaches into her boot and pulls out her wand. She's about to say a spell when Theresa starts yelling again.

"Put that thing away! You know how I feel about magic!"

"Dad would let me use magic!" She protests. She shakes her head at her mother, and loves the way her long, curly dark hair feels against her back.

"Well, your father is on a business trip! Now put that thing away and clean up this mess!"

Justin smirks evilly at her before walking away. She is SO going to put a giant spider on his face while he's sleeping tonight...

Max, on the other hand, starts eating one of the apples that was in the trash. "Not bad," he says as he passes Alex and Theresa and heads up to his room.

Alex looks over to her mother who looks like she's going to explode. "Alex, you KNOW the shop isn't making as much money as it used to, and you STILL trash the place. It smells like something died in here! How are we supposed to get costumers now?"

"I'm sorry, mom! Just stop yelling!"

"You are NOT forgiven."

"What?" Alex's volume dropped. "But you always forgive me. That's how we are. I mess up, apologize, than you forgive me, call me 'mija,' and we hug it out."

"Not this time, young lady."

Alex blinks a few times. "Why not?"

"Because you're just going to mess everything up again! And I'll end up cleaning your mess."

"Mom, I'll clean this up..."

Theresa puts her hand up. "I'm done with all your mistakes. Everything always seems to mess up around you. We're going to go bankrupt because of you."

"Don't blame this all on me!"

"Why not? It's your fault isn't it?"

Alex thinks that her mother just needs to calm down or take a chill pill or something. She's gone crazy. "Mom, please..."

"I don't think you should stay here this summer."

"WHAT? You're kicking me out?"

Theresa gives her a look. "No... You're seventeen now. You and I are leaving New York for the summer while Max and Justin run the store with Kelbo. We're going to a house I own in Mystic Falls, Virginia. No magic. It'll teach you a lesson."

"MOM! Have you lost your mind? I have friends! I have a life!" Alex protests.

"I don't care," Theresa says simply. "It'll do you good. And no wand!"

right now Alex hates her mother for making her go to Mystic Falls. She's sitting alone in a place called the Mystic Grill. She's eating a hamburger. Her favorite dinner. Her dark hair falls down her back. She and her mom got to Virginia this morning, and Alex hasn't said a word to Theresa since.

She crosses her legs and can feel her wand that's sitting in her boot. She snuck it past her mother by wearing taller boots than usual, so the wand is fully covered. There's no way she can go a whole summer without magic. No. Not happening.

Alex already misses her best friend, Harper, and her werewolf boyfriend, Mason. Mason makes her happier than she ever though she could be. She's knows that what she has with Mason is love.

Love is a word Alex knows very well. She was in love once before Mason. It was with Dean, her ex. Alex loves love, even though she may never admit it to anyone. She's been happier since she's been with Mason for a few months. He's the best thing that's ever happened to her, and no one will change that. That's what she tells herself.

She's getting a weird vibe about the people sitting in this grill. They all seem on edge and very secretive. There's also something about this town. It's very eerie and creepy. It's nothing like Waverly Place, or New York in general.

She turns when she hears someone else walking in. Well, he more like glides in. He has dark, messed up hair, and gorgeous ocean blue eyes. Alex can't seem to look away from this man, whoever he is.

Then he looks over at her. She wipes her mouth that has ketchup on the side of it from her burger. He seems to be studying her. She tries to form a smile, but it won't come. She can't stop staring at him. He seems almost... un-human.


	3. Welcome to Mystic Falls, Alex Russo'

Damon drives to the Mystic Grill so he can take his mind off things. His head is just full of thoughts he wishes he could forget, and drinking will be his way to forget.

He pulls up to the Mystic Grill, but doesn't walk in for a few minutes. What if he can't find a witch and he can't break the curse? Vampires would be doomed to walk only at night, and werewolves would still change on the full moon.

No, he tells himself, I have to break the curse no matter what.

He is determined to find the witch he needs. He knows she around here somewhere... He just has to open his eyes.

He finally turns the car engine off and walks out, slamming the door behind him. He locks the car from over his shoulder. He enters the grill, trying not to be noticed. But that's impossible. Almost everyone in the town knows who he is by now. He's been there for over a year, and the town is very small.

However, this time there is someone there that he does not recognize. She's staring at him and she has a giant wad of ketchup on the side of her mouth that she doesn't seem to notice. She has the most beautiful chocolate brown eyes he has ever seen. They remind him of Elena's eyes. And she has long, curly dark hair falling down her back. She looks like she's about seventeen, maybe a little younger than Elena, who is eighteen.

The girl suddenly wipes the ketchup off her face. Well, most of it. There is still some on her mouth that she seemed to miss. There's something about hr that has Damon transfixed on her. Is it her looks? Is it that he would do anything to get over Elena? Or is it something else?

His mouth forms a crooked smile at the girl. Then he just walks away. He walks over to the bar and orders a shot. He doesn't want to drink, but he needs to get his mind off of everything that happened in his life. That's why he drinks in general. To forget. To forget his past and his now.

Living forever isn't so great...

Alex Russo sits at her table, not finishing her burger. She's thinking about that man and how un-human he looks. Maybe he _is_ un-human, she tells herself.

She look over her shoulder at him. He's telling the bartender something, then he looks down, letting his hair fall over his face. He seems distracted, guarded. Ale wants to know why. Luckily, she was blessed with the curious gene, and when she gets curious, she will do anything to find out what she wants.

She leaves her burger sitting at the table and she goes over to the bar. She sits on the stool next to him and the bartender walks over to her with a sour look on her face.

"I'm going to need to see some ID."

"Oh, no, I'm not ordering any drinks." Alex says.

The man next to her moved his eyes so he's looking at her. But he didn't move his head.

"Then you can't sit here if you're not ordering, little girl."

That gets Alex mad. She hates it when people call her a little girl. She is _not _little! She's seventeen for crying out loud! "I'm not a little girl."

"Ya look like one to me."

Alex chuckles. "Okay, but at least I'm educated. I'm not the one who is working at a bar and probably works at a strip club right after." Alex is smirking. Being mean is one of her best qualities.

The bartender just walks away with a glare on her face. Alex looks satisfied. Another bartender brings the man a shot which he gulps down in a matter of seconds. Then he orders another one.

Alex watches him do so. Then he takes another shot and orders another. She knows that not healthy. "I don't think you should be taking so many shots."

He looks at her. "What do you care? I don't know you. You don't know me."

His voice is a low rumble. Alex sighs and leans in closer to him. "It's not healthy."

"Does it look like I give a damn?"

Alex's eyes narrow. He's a jerk. Why did she even come over here? "Wow, okay. Whatever. I'll just leave you and your jerky self alone."

She starts to get up when the man speaks. "Excuse me?"

Alex turns to face him. He's looking at her with those ocean blue eyes that she can't stop looking into. "What? You've never been called a jerk before?"

"Not by someone whose name I do not know."

A small smile forms on Alex's face. She goes over to the stool and sits back down next to him. She holds out her hand. "I'm Alex Russo."

He grabs it and shakes it. "Damon Salvatore." But then he takes another shot.

"My Mom made me come here for the summer. I trashed the place, so she's ticked off. I'm from New York."

"Well, then welcome to Mystic Falls, Alex Russo."


	4. You're Drunk

Alex sits with Damon for a while longer. She's fascinated by him, even though he does not say much. There's just something about him that's different. She just doesn't know what that something is.

She starts to get annoyed when he keep ordering shots. When the bartender walks away from him, Alex pulls her to the side. "Don't bring him anymore after this no matter how much he begs or pleads." What Alex doesn't know is that with Damon's super hearing, he hears what she says.

She turns back to face him. He looks different up close than far away. The bottom half of his face is dark, meaning he hasn't shaved for a few days, and he keeps avoiding eye contact with Alex, meaning there's something he's trying to avoid or something she doesn't know that he will figure out by looking at his said, cold eyes.

After minutes of silence, Alex tries to start a conversation. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," he chokes. He's chugging down a beer he just ordered. Alex did not think that one through.

"You don't look fine."

"What do you care?"

"I don't."

"Then leave me alone."

"Fine."

Alex gets up to leave. As she walks away from the stool, her foot gets caught and she falls forward. Her wand falls out of her boot without her knowing. Her face heats up from embarrassment, and she can feel every single eye on her.

"Good one, klutz."

Alex shoots daggers at Damon and stands up. She brushes herself off. She's had enough of him. She takes the beer out of his hand and puts it behind the counter. She crosses her arms at him.

"What the hell?"

"You obviously have a problem. You need to go home."

He rolls his eyes and stands up. He tries to walk to the door, but stumbles on his way there. Alex holds him up. "You're drunk," she states.

"No crap."

Alex has her hand rested on his chest to help keep him up. It's firm and muscular. Alex tries to keep herself from blushing. "Then I'll drive you home since you obviously can't." She holds out her hand to him. "Give me the keys."

He shakes his head. "You're gonna steal 'em," he slurs.

Alex never really had much experience with a drunken man before, but she isn't about to let him drive himself to his place. "Then give me your phone."

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his keys, placing them into her hand, which she grips the second she feels the metal on her palm. She pulls him out to the parking lot and he points at one of the cars. It's an old one. Alex isn't sure she'll be able to drive that.

She puts him in the passenger seat and she sits in the driver's seat. After she starts the car she looks over at him. He's watching her intently. "What are you staring at?"

He smirks. "You're a pretty little thing, aren't ya?"

Alex looks back in front and starts driving away.

"My house is the old one."

"That does not help me."

"Yes it does. It's the only house in this town from the 1800s."

"If you do not recall, I've only been here for a day!" Alex yells.

He sighs. "Make a left ahead, then a right, then straight for a little less than a mile and you'll be there."

Alex does what he says. She had no other choice, really. His directions were accurate because she pulls up to an old Victorian style house. It DID look like it was from the 1800s. She pulls the car into the driveway and looks over at Damon. "You're home."

He groans. "I don't want to be here."

"Why not?"

"Them."

Alex give him a confused look. "Them? Who's them?"

Damon starts to answer but stops himself. "Try loving someone who is dating your sibling."


	5. Alex Russo hates Mystic Falls

Alex doesn't know how to respond to that. Of course she doesn't know what it feels like to be in love with someone who is dating a sibling. She is the only female in her family. But she _did_ know that it must be difficult.

She guesses that was why he seemed to be dead; he was depressed, although he would never admit it. She takes the keys out of the engine and is about to say something when the door to the house opens and two people run out. A guy with spiked blonde hair and a leather jacket is the first out, and he is followed by a girl with long, straight brown hair.

The guy opens the door and pulls Damon out. Alex steps out of the car and walks up to him, holding the keys in the air. "These would be yours," she says as she places them in his hand.

He seems to be studying her. "Right. Thanks."

Alex is about to walk back to the grill when the girl walks in front of her and stops her. Alex raises her eyebrows at her. "What?"

"Thanks for bringing him back. If you didn't, the result wouldn't be pretty."

Why is she saying thank you after the guy did? Is this the girl Damon was talking about? The one he's in love with? Most likely, because when Alex looks at Damon and the other guy they have the same jaw set. They're probably brothers, she thinks to herself.

She looks back at the girl. "You're welcome."

She starts backing away when the girl sticks her hand out. "I'm Elena."

"Alex Russo," she says, shaking her hand.

"I haven't seen you here before."

Alex runs a finger through her hair, making the curls look more like waves. "Yeah, I just got here today. I'm from New York. I'm spending the summer here."

"Oh." She says, nodding.

"Uh," Alex says awkwardly. She realizes that she has no idea how to get back. "I don't really know this place very well, and I have no idea how to get back to the grill."

Elena smiles. "Oh, I'll drive you back. Why don't you come in, though?" She points behind her to the house. "I'm sure Stefan won't mind."

Stefan is his brother's name, Alex thinks.

"Uh, sure, I guess that would be fine. I'll just text my mom and tell her I'm running a little late."

As she starts walking to the house, Alex pulls out her phone and types in the message to her mom. _Don't get mad, mom, but I made some friends and I'm going to hang out with them for a little, meaning I'll be a little late back to the house. Please don't freak. -Alex_

She steps into the house when she sends the message. She looks around and is instantly amazed. The ceilings are arched and the smell reminds her of that time she zoned out while at a History Museum for school.

She follows Elena into a room that she guesses is the living room. Stefan is sitting on a chair next to Damon who looks the way Alex does in school: out of it.

"Stefan, this is Alex Russo, the one that drove Damon back. I thought she could stay here until I leave so I can drive her back to the grill." Elena says as she sits next to Stefan.

Alex stays standing and awkwardly waves at Stefan. "Nice to meet you."

He nods. "Pleasure." He exchanges a look with Elena that Alex can't read.

She starts to feel awkward again and bounces on her toes. "I don't mean to intrude."

Elena smiles. "You're not intruding. And I'll only be about a half hour then I'll drive you home, if you don't mind."

She shook her head, "Not at all."

Stefan clicks his tongue. "Elena, can I have a word with you upstairs?"

"Of course."

They leave the room and Damon groans. Alex looks at him. His eyes are closed and his head is drooping over the seat. Then he opens his eyes and looks around, eyes landing on Alex, then groans again. "You're still here? Won't you just leave?"

She raises her eyebrows. "I was invited in, for your information."

He raises only one eyebrow. Is she a - no, I would know if she were, Damon thought.

"Not very friendly are you?" Alex asks.

"No."

Alex snorts. "No wonder you're so miserable."

"I'm not miserable," he defends.

"I beg to differ! You told me you were? Remember? You were going on and on about how you're in love with Elena who is dating Stefan." She says.

His eyes narrow. He gets up and, in only a second, he had Alex pinned to the wall, his hand over her mouth. Her eyes widen. How did he move so fast?

"You listen to me, girlie, if you repeat that to a single soul, I will kill you."

The seriousness in his eyes make Alex's heart rate quicken. She starts nodding furiously.

He removes his hand from her mouth but keeps her pinned to the wall. She swallows hard, her chocolate eyes full of fear.

He grits his teeth, growls, and lets her go, making her fall straight to the ground. He runs a hand through his hair. What did he just do? Grr, why does un-human side always overpower his human one?

He looks over to the girl who is getting up from the floor and dusting her clothes off. She looks to him, shooting daggers in his direction. "You're a selfish, rude, disgusting person, you know that?"

He turns away from her and starts walking to his room. "Not the first time I heard that," he says as he passes her.

She stares after him as he goes. She wonders why he no longer sounds drunk. That was a fast recovery, she thinks to herself.

Right after Damon leaves, Elena and Stefan walk back into the room. "Where's Damon?" Stefan asks me, a bit of panic rising in his voice.

Alex points to where he went and Stefan runs after him. She looks to Elena. "Can you take me back to the grill now, please?"

She nods. "Of course. Follow me."

She follows Elena out to her black jeep and gets into the passenger side. Alex just stares out the window, unable to forget Damon's un-human speed.

"You okay?" Elena asks once they get onto the main road.

"I'm fine," she mumbles, lying.

Elena sighs. "Did Damon say something."

"No," she lies again.

Elena stops the conversation there, knowing that she won't get anything else from the girl except one word responses. They get to the grill five minutes later and Alex steps out, mumbling a 'thanks,' and walks to the house her mother owns which is only a five minute walk.

It's official... Alex Russo hates Mystic Falls.


	6. I Have To Warn Her!

Alex wakes up late the following morning. She always sleeps in, even if she went to bed at seven. It's in her nature. She runs her hands over her eyes, rubbing the sleep out of them.

The events from the night before instantly come back to her as if she were hit by a bus. She doesn't know a lot about those three people, but she DID know that they were not your average teenagers. Never, has she met people like they.

She gets dressed in jean shorts that fall four inches below her behind and wears a red floral shirt with it, as well as black gladiator sandals. After she brushes her long curls, she does her makeup and hears her phone vibrate from the nightstand.

She walks over to it and smiles when she sees that she got a text from her boyfriend, Mason. Back to normal, she thinks.

_How are you, love? I know you must hate it there, but try to be nice to your mom. Maybe if you don't get on her nerves, she'll let you come back early. :)_

She sighs. She misses Mason so, so much. She can just hear his British accent through the text. She replies and puts her phone in her back pocket.

But, for some reason, she feels like something is missing.

Oh, crap! she thinks and frantically searches through her boots for her wand.

It's gone...

Her heart rate speeds. How could she lose it? WHERE did she lose it? She hopes the wand isn't at Damon Salvatore's house...

_Waverly Place, New York._

Juliet smiles when she walks into the sub shop and sees Justin working the register. She runs up to him and waves. "Hi, Justin."

"Juliet!" He hugs her as if it were the last time he would.

Once he releases her, he sees that she's carrying a box of jelly donuts. She loves those because she likes to suck the jelly out. And she does it very well; she's a vampire, after all.

"I thought we could share them after your shift's done." She smiles, her fangs purposely visible.

"Sounds good. But I still have an hour left," he says sadly.

She shrugs. "Why don't you just get Alex to cover for you? She covered last time, and she'll listen to me. We're friends."

"Did I forget to tell you? My mom took Alex with her to Mystic Falls, Virginia for the summer to teach her a lesson for trashing the sub station constantly. I bet she's ready to pull her hair out; she can't use magic!" he says happily. For a moment, Juliet thinks that he's about to start jumping or doing a happy dance.

Juliet's smile fades, and she pushes her long, blonde hair behind her ear. "Wait...Did you just say _Mystic Falls_?"

"Yeah. My mom has a house there." He says simply.

Juliet puts the pink donut box on the counter. "No, Justin, you don't get it! I've been to Mystic Falls before, and it's not safe there! Especially for a wizard like Alex."

Justin furrows his eyebrows. "Why not?"

She starts to get jittery. "Justin, I'm not the only type of vampire out there. There are more, many more. And guess where they're all located."

His eyes widen. "Mystic Falls?"

She nods frantically. "I have to warn her!" She turns and is about to walk out when Justin grabs her arm.

"When will you be back?" he asks. "I can't lose you again...Especially the way I lost you to the mummy."

She smiles. She loves Justin and his awkwardness, protectiveness, and smartness. To her, he's the epitome of perfection. "Don't worry, Justin. I'll be back tonight. Then, we can go on a picnic in the park or something."

"Sounds good."

And so, he lets go of her arm and she bolts out the door.


	7. Not a Normal Town

_Mystic Falls, Virginia_

Alex runs downstairs so quickly that Theresa stops her. "Alex? Where are you going?" She is sitting in the kitchen, still in her pajamas and bathrobe, drinking a cup of coffee like she did every morning. Her hair was pulled up into curlers.

Alex saw her mother and groaned. Did she always have to look like that? It was already noon! When was she going to get dressed? Well, at least Alex knows where she gets her laziness from...

"I, uh, I'm heading over to the Mystic Grill?" She states matter-of-factly.

Theresa raises her eyebrows. "Yes, but you were just there last night. What's the rush?"

Uh oh...How is she going to answer that? Her mom can't know she's going to get her wand, because she wasn't allowed to bring it in the first place. "I'm, uh, meeting some friends."

Alex starts to turn toward the door when her mother speaks once more. "The friends from last night?"

"Sure."

"I'd like to meet them."

_Crap_...

"No offense, Mom, but that would just scare them off. I don't want to spend my whole summer hanging out with you."

Theresa gets that 'mad' look on her face again, which makes Alex frown. "Saying 'no offense' does NOT make it any less offensive."

"Sorry, Mom. Erm, when should I be back?" She decides she's going to take Mason's advice and try to listen to her mother's rules. Maybe if she does, she can go home earlier than planned. Let's face it - she hates it here.

She shrugs, "Just come back in time for dinner. I would like one meal with you this summer."

Alex smiled and ran out the door_. Wand, here I come_.

When Alex walks up to the Mystic Grill, she sees a preppy looking blonde girl standing at the door and handing out flyers. She wonders what they're for...Maybe something interesting is in this town after all.

She walks up to the girl (who is a lot taller in person considering she's a good four inches taller than Alex. She reminds Alex of that girl Elena she met last night. They're about the same height), and the girl smiles at her. "Hi! My name is Caroline Forbes and there is a fair tonight with games, rides, food, all kinds of stuff." She hands Alex the flyer. "You should come."

Alex puts on the most real smile she has worn this entire time. "Yeah, I'll be there."

Alex starts walking away when Caroline calls after her. "Hey! Are you new or something?"

_Man, this town must be small since everyone can tell I'm the new girl_, Alex thinks.

"Yeah, but I'm only staying for the summer. My Mom has a house here. I'm Alex Russo."

She smiles wide. "Welcome, Alex. If you need help finding your way, just let me know. Oh, and the fair is in the town square, which is right there" -she points- "if you didn't already know that."

"I didn't know that...Thanks, I guess."

This time, Alex turns and walks into the grill and the door closes just as Caroline says 'hi' to another complete stranger. How she was able to trust people she did know, Alex has no idea.

She walks over to the booth in which she was previously occupying and is unfortunate to see that a couple is sitting there already. Well, she has to make up some excuse to look around the floors. She snaps her fingers, the perfect plan popping into her head.

Alex walks up to the couple and they look annoyed. The girl narrows her eyes. "Are you here to take our orders or what?"

"I don't work here."

"Then will you go away?" The boy says.

"Actually," Alex says, "I seem to have lost a contact. Mind if I check the floors?"

The girl shrugs. "Whatever. But be quick."

Alex's eyes narrow. If she has her wand, she will turn that girl into a fog without the slightest feeling of guilt. She hates her already. She's obviously not much of a people person.

She gets onto her hands and knees and looks under the table, patting the ground as if she were looking for a contact that she doesn't own, or even need for that matter. She frowns when she sees her wand is not there. Dang. But she pretends she found her contact since the rude couple is staring down at her. "Found it." She stands and pretends to wipe dust off on her shirt.

"It's about time," the girl says, rolling her eyes obviously.

"You know what?" Alex has seriously had enough. First she gets in a fight with her mother and has to stay in the awful town for three whole months, then she has to drive a drunken man home who pins her against the wall in inhuman speed and strength, and now she has to deal with this bitch? Hell no. "I don't care if you don't like the fact that I had to look for a contact that I misplaced. You're a witch, you know that?"

"What did you just call my girlfriend?" The boy asks as the snob gasps, bringing her hands to her mouth in a way-too-dramatic manner.

"You heard me, jock." She looks back to the girl and smiles wickedly, insults running through her head. "I mean, she isn't even that attractive. Can't you see that giant zit forming on her forehead? Oh, and speaking of her forehead, it's abnormally large isn't it?"

The girl lets out a shocked scream and her hands shoot to her forehead. She stands up. "Bitch." And with that said, she runs off to the bathroom screaming.

Alex turns to the boy and waves 'good-bye' to him. He has offended look on his face, but she doesn't care. She had to take out her anger one someone, and better them than her mother.

Alex walks up to the bar, remembering how she tripped on the stool last night and fell to her hands and knees. That must be when the wand flew out, she thinks to herself. She rests her arm on the bar and the same bartender from the night before is there. She lets out a groan and walks up to Alex as she wipes a glass dry.

"No kids allowed."

"Again, I'm not buying anything."

"I don't care. Damon isn't here this time, so get away from my bar!"

Alex sarcastically puts her hands up in surrender and takes a step away, removing her arm from the counter. "There. I'm not technically at your bar anymore."

Alex thinks she stomps her foot like a child who doesn't get what she wants and walks away. Alex rolls her eyes and turns in the direction where she fell. "It has to be here...Please be here. There is no way I can go back to that house."

She gets on her hands and knees once more, wishing the people who run this place will dust and mop more often. Something shiny catches her attention and she goes up to it. Her red wand is under a seat, sticking out by the tip. She picks it up and wipes the dust off of it with her hand. She smiles. "Gotcha."

By twelve thirty - only thirty minutes after she left Justin in New York - Juliet finds herself standing a few feet from the Mystic Grill. She had a satisfied grin on her face. She absolutely adores the vampire speed.

She runs up (human speed) to a blonde girl handing out flyers. "Caroline."

A huge smile forms on Caroline's face and she brings Juliet into a hug. "Jules! How are you? I haven't seen you since I was a kid and you were...The same age."

Juliet smiles at her cousin. They're related, even though Juliet has been a vampire for hundreds of years. Beforehand, however, she had a sister how ran away after she refused to become a vampire like Juliet and her parents. After that, she created a huge line of relatives. Caroline was the latest generation. It's ironic, however, that Caroline just so happens to be a vampire as well. So much for the continued bloodline...

Except Caroline is a different kind of vampire than Juliet. Just the kind she is about to warn Alex about. Although, Caroline seems to be nothing like them. She's still sweet and tries to be as human as possible, except for the fact that she has to drink blood to stay strong.

Juliet releases from the hug. "Yeah, I've been in New York for a few years now. I'm dating this guy who is the sweetest thing."

"Oh! Good for you!" Caroline sounds genuinely happy for her. "So why are you here all of a sudden and not with this guy of yours."

"I was just with him, but I have to talk to someone."

"Who? Maybe I know this person."

"Oh, you wouldn't. She just got here." Juliet starts looking over Caroline's shoulder and into the grill to see if she sees Alex.

"Her name doesn't happen to be Alex Russo, does it?" she asks.

Juliet's eyes widen. "You know her?"

"I just met her. Sweet, but bitter type of girl. Long, curly black hair, kind of short." She describes.

Juliet nods. "That's her. Where is she."

"In the grill."

Juliet nods a 'thank you' and darts into the grill, searching the room for Alex. She finally sees her wiping the dust off her wand. Why the heck is she holding it up in public like that? Is she trying to expose herself? "Alex!" Juliet calls from across the room.

Alex looks up and frowns with wide eyes when she sees Juliet run up to her. Juliet reaches her in moments.

"Why are you here?" Alex asks.

"I came to warn you." Juliet says.

"About what?" Now, Alex takes her wand and puts it in her back pocket, hiding the rest of it with her red flower tank top.

"This town is not a normal town, Alex." Her voice lowers to a whisper. "Like in Waverly Place, there are supernatural beings here, though they are much unlike the ones you know, and some love."

Alex thinks of Mason, her werewolf boyfriend.

"I'm not the only type of vampire out there, Alex. There are others, much stronger ones. And they all reside here. You must be careful because you never know who is a vampire and who isn't. The vampires here, unlike my kind, kill for their blood. Well, most of them. They're eyes turn to a demonic red with black veins from the bottom. Their teeth are much larger than mine, and therefore can bite into the toughest of skin. They can run at the speed of light and they cannot walk in the sunlight. However, most these days have a special item they use that lets them walk in the sun and not get burned. Are you following me?"

Alex's mouth hangs open. Her mother brings her to this town to leave magic and supernatural behind, but this town is full of that stuff? Of course, she thinks.

"Just vampires?" she asks.

Juliet shrugs. "You can never be sure, but I know vampires are here. This is the place I was turned, you know, way back when. That's why I hate coming here, but I had to warn to you. You'll be careful and cautious around these people, won't you?"

Alex nods. "Yeah."

She smiles. "Good. Well, I have to get back to New York. Justin is waiting for me." She waves before leaving in the blink of an eye.

Now, Alex stands alone, staring into nothing. How is she supposed to take this news? She can't seem to think. Maybe she has to do something non-supernatural related. She pulls out her phone, dials speed dial 2 and waits. "Mom? I was thinking...Maybe we should go see a movie or something."

Yes. A distraction and time away from magic is what she needs.


	8. The Fair

After a relaxing magic-free day, Alex decides to go to the fair without her wand. Her mother waves her off and she's heads to the center of town by foot.

_Man, I really need a car,_ she thinks.

It's much cooler than it was this afternoon, so Alex wears a light, red jacket. She digs her hands into the pockets of it and walks on, trying to ignore the fact that there are too little street lights in this neighborhood...

When she arrives at the fair twenty minutes later, everything is up and running, and the lights from all the rides and games definitely make up for the lack there was in her block. She smiles and heads straight for the funnel cake stands.

"Alex? Alex Russo?"

Alex turns from her spot on the funnel cake line and sees that girl from the night before, Elena. The one who is dating Stefan, Damon's brother, and the one with whom Damon is madly in love with.

These people are the ones that Alex did NOT want to see tonight. Stefan walks up behind Elena and wraps his arm around her waist. He gives Alex a small smile.

_Well, they're better than Damon, _Alex thinks. She enver wants to see Damon again, especially after he pinned her against the wall with inhuman speed and strength. _Hold on...Didn't Juliet warn me about inhuman speed and strength? Grr, I can't remember. I really should start paying attention to people when they talk to me..._

Alex smiles slightly. "Hi. It's Elena, right?"

She smiles. Her hair is up in a high pony tail which bounces when she nods at Alex. "Yeah, and you remember Stefan, right?"

Alex looked at Stefan and nodded. "Yep."

"It's nice to see you again, Alex. A fresh face is always good around here. This town is so small, I know everyone already and it gets pretty boring." Stefan says with a laugh.

Alex laughs as well. "Well, I've been welcomed politely by most."

Stefan tenses. Alex knows that he knows she meant Damon did not welcome her nicely. "Right, sorry that you had to meet my brother like that."

Alex shrugs. "Maybe it's good that I did. It was a warning to steer clear of him."

They don't respond to that and are glad when Alex is next in line to buy a funnel cake. When she walks up to the woman making them, Elena turns to Stefan and whispers, "What did he do?"

Stefan shrugs. "I don't know, but it must have been something bad."

Elena sighs. "She just HAD to see him with he was at his worst..."

Stefan raises his eyebrows. "Why do you sound so depressed about that?"

A devious smile erupts on Elena's face. "Damon is lonely, and I think Alex is the perfect girl for him: stubborn, bitter, sarcastic, yet beautiful and sweet. She's perfect for him."

"Don't play matchmaker, Elena," Stefan warns through gritted teeth.

"If they somehow talk without my help, I won't need to. But it looks like she will need a little push." She pauses for a moment. "I worry about Damon, especially lately. He seems even more emotionally lost than ever, and-"

But Elena can't finish her sentence because Alex walks back over with a funnel cake in her hand. It has more sugar than normal, and Elena guesses she asked for it to be like that. She starts eating it.

"Oh, uh, if you don't want me to hang out with you, that's fine. I can manage by myself."

"No, no!" Elena says. "We can go on a few rides. Stefan and I will be leaving in about a half hour, though."

"That's fine." Alex's voice may be monotone, but she is truthfully extremely happy that she may have made a few friends.

For the next half hour, Alex, Elena, and Stefan ride a few rides and play a few games. Alex thinks it's very cute that Stefan wins a teddy bear for Elena. She wishes Mason were here to win one for her... Elena and Stefan are actually really nice people, and she's glad they are all friends. It's nice to not have to be alone for the entire summer she is in Mystic Falls.

"Alex, I'm sorry, but Elena and I must say goodbye. We made other plans for tonight."

Alex nods, not wanting to know any details. She's doesn't want her funnel cake to make its way back up. "That's fine. I'll be fine alone."

"We know," Elena says. She waves goodbye, as does Stefan, and they both walk away hand-in-hand.

Alex pulls out her cell phone to check the time. It's already after ten. But her mom said she can come back whenever, so she decides to go on more rides for the next hour.

At around eleven, Alex starts to get tired and she heads for home. She's walking around the back of the rides when a silhouette appears right in front of her, as if by thin air. She blinks a few times and squints her eyes to get a better look at the person. She can't see a face, but she can tell that the person is male.

"Who's there?" She demands in a voice much stronger than she feels on the inside. She's scared, although she would never admit. Ever since she was a little girl, her mother and father had told her to never talk to strangers. But now that she's seventeen, she feels she can talk if and only if she can defend herself.

Her heart rate increases when she remembers that she left her wand under a pile of clothes in her closet at the house. What the heck did she do? Why didn't she just turn and walk the other way? She feels like an idiot...

The person doesn't answer her, so she turns and starts walking away at a speed much quicker than she would have normally walked.

She lets out a gasp that almost sounds like a scream when the man suddenly appears right in front of her, his eyes blood-shot red with black veins sticking from the bottom. Vampire.

She's never seen this person before, and now knows that what Juliet said is true... This town is full of vampires.

As if by the speed of light, the vampire's fangs are out and digging into the left side of Alex's neck. She feels her knees going weak and her vision failing her.

**: )**

Damon walks the fairgrounds with his hands in his pants pockets and his leather jacket open, revealing his white T-shirt.

What is he doing here? He has no business here... Oh, right. He's here because Elena and Stefan came home and he doesn't really want to know what they're doing right now. Just the thought of it makes him want to punch someone in the face.

Damon stops in his tracks when he hears a girl scream from behind the rides, due to his vampire hearing. The sound of teeth baring into the flesh of that girl makes him run at the speed of light to the spot. If it were a year ago, he would have never went to save anyone, he would have just let the girl die. But meeting Elena changed him...He was more protective now.

His blue eyes widen when he sees a male vampire sucking all the blood out of the girl from the bar last night. She is looking at him, her chocolate brown eyes begging for release from the pain. Damon sees that she knees are giving out, meaning she's close to death.

She opens her mouth to say something, but she can't seem to form any words. If Damon's going to save her, he needs to act fast.

He moves at the speed of light to the vampire and pushes him off with all his strength. He hits a tree close by and Alex falls to the ground. She starts closing her eyes when Damon screams, "No! Don't close your eyes. Stay focused. Breathe."

Damon rushes over to the vampire that hit the tree and Damon's eyes turn blood-shot red and veiny. He grabs the man by the collar and lifts him up. This person is a new vampire; Damon can tell by the way he's so weak by just one blow to a tree. Damon bares his fangs and hisses at him. "We can settle this the easy way, or the hard way. Leave now, or die."

Damon lets go and the newly turned vampire scatters away. Damon growls after him then realizes that that girl Alex from the bar last night is laying on the ground, slowly dying. She runs over to her and picks her up, bridal style, and runs to his car at the speed of light.

**: )**

With his left hand on the wheel and his right on the still bleeding wound of Alex Russo, Damon fights the urge to lick the blood off his hand. He can't...Maybe saving this girl will make Elena see a different side of him and she'll love him back.

Alex's breathing is heavy, and her eyes keep trying to close, but she's giving a lot of effort into not letting them close.

Damon knows what he has to do as he looks over to the girl. Once he gets to the house, he will have to give her his blood, or else she will surely die a horrible, painful death.

After he pulls into the driveway and picks the girl up bridal style once more and brings her through the house, slamming the door on the wall because he opened it so forcefully.

Elena ran in from the living room. "What's going - ahh!" she screams as she sees Alex bleeding to death in Damon's arms. She brings her hand to her mouth to stop herself from screaming even more.

Stefan runs in at the very moment and grabs Elena's hand. "What the hell did you do to her, Damon?"

Damon growls, "I didn't do this. Some newly turned vampire did. I was the one who saved her." He pushes passed his little brother. "You're supposed to be able to trust your family, brother."

And with that, Damon runs off to his room.

Damon places the young girl on his bed. The blood from her neck is all over his hand and he wipes it off with a towel from his bathroom. Her jacket is covered in blood. Some is dried up on her leg and her eyes start to close.

Damon pats her face. "You'll be fine, okay? Just stay awake for one more minute." He brings his left wrist up to his mouth and bites it full on. Blood drips from it and lands on his blankets, but he doesn't care. He puts his now bleeding wrist to Alex's mouth. "Drink it. Drink it and you'll be fine."

She doesn't really have much of a choice, so she does as he tells her to and drink it. He removes his wrist and presses the towel to it. In a second, Alex it fast asleep and heading for a speedy recovery.


End file.
